The present invention relates generally to an ultrasonic transducer, and more particularly to an ultrasonic probe having an ultrasonic propagation medium for use in medical ultrasonic diagnostic systems for examination and inspection within an examined body.
Various types of ultrasonic probes for medical diagnostic systems have been developed heretofore with a view to meeting the increasing demands for examination accuracy. Ultrasonic probes generally comprise a linear array of transducer elements for transmission of an ultrasonic wave into an examined body in response to electrical signals from a control circuit and reception of echo waves returning from the examined body. Ultrasonic propagation media provided between the array of transducer elements and the examined body are currently employed for the purpose of allowing the ultrasonic probe to come into plane contact with the examined body concurrently with the increase in scanning angle of the ultrasonic probe. Examples of such an ultrasonic probe including an ultrasonic propagation medium are disclosed in Japanese Patent Provisional Publications Nos. 56-104650 and 58-7231. However, such ultrasonic probes provide problems such as deterioration of the ultrasonic image due to a high degree of ultrasonic wave attenuation in the ultrasonic propagation medium. To avoid the deterioration of the ultrasonic image, it would be necessary to further provide a device for compensating for this problem. The provision of such a device results in a complex and costly ultrasonic diagnostic system.